AI and client communication in vet med: View from the AAHA board

Efficient client communication is key in any practice. When the practice phone rings, who will answer, how quickly, and how is success measured?  Are emails reviewed and answered once daily, or is the email monitored and responded to throughout the day?  Who is responsible?  Are texts answered immediately? These are all questions that need to be addressed in the context of a continuous communication protocol. How are all these exchanges recorded in the medical record?

Enter artificial intelligence (AI). The excitement around AI stems from its potential to streamline tasks and—in some cases—do the jobs of humans.

AI and client communication

However, it is essential to note that AI is not about replacing jobs but enhancing them. For instance, AI can handle routine tasks like answering phones and scheduling appointments, freeing up human staff to focus on more complex client interactions.

AI also provides intuitive ways to connect with clients by recognizing common patterns in individual client behavior.  Some clients prefer texting, others prefer email, and some need the personal touch of a voice on the telephone. AI can help cater to these preferences, thereby improving client satisfaction, a key aspect of our role as veterinary professionals.

Client preferences require veterinary teams to be adaptable and utilize various modalities to accommodate individuals. The client service team, integral to the practice’s success, plays a crucial role when creating SOPs for individual practice approaches to customer relations. They must consider how to optimize all of the client contacts, making each interaction purposeful. As invoice counts normalize after COVID-19, the team’s role becomes even more imperative to efficiently maximize each client touch point and keep the clients’ bonds to the practice alive and well.

AI-based scribing platforms take detailed notes during patient exams, edit the narratives into a SOAP format, record dental charting, and provide radiograph review services. Many practices began using AI with radiology services. These technologies require changes to charting protocols, so the information is correctly transferred into the patient’s medical record. As AI is integrated into practice management software, practice SOPs must evolve. AI can automate appointment scheduling, manage client communications, and even assist in medical record keeping.

As AI continues to evolve and grow ever more useful, the AAHA team will continue to monitor and keep up with changing technology and opportunities for practices to optimize client relations and patient care.

About the author

Cheryl Smith, CVPM, is Secretary/Treasurer of the AAHA Board of Directors. Smith is hospital administrator of Galway Veterinary Hospital in Galway, New York.

Disclaimer: Trends content is meant to inform, educate, and inspire by providing an array of diverse viewpoints. Any content published should not be viewed as an official stance, position, or endorsement by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or its Board of Directors (unless otherwise stated).

Photo credit: Courtesy of Cheryl Smith; FG Trade via E+/Getty Images